WADA 2023 Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Symposium

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Welcome to the 2023 TUE Symposium

Cho Yongman, Vice Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, WADA Foundation Board Member

Dear Participants of the 2023 WADA TUE Symposium,

I am delighted to host the World Anti-Doping Agency Therapeutic Use Exemptions Symposium in Incheon, Korea, in 2023.

The symposium provides an excellent opportunity for international anti-doping and medical officials to discuss the prospects and current challenges, and an ideal platform to discover the latest findings and share expertise in the fight against doping.

Clean sport is a noble value only achievable with the collective will and efforts of governments, Anti-Doping Organizations, athletes, athlete support personnel, and medical officials. The expertise of medical officials contributes immensely throughout the fight against the ever-evolving doping in sports and the protection of athletes.

I express my deep gratitude to the medical community in anti-doping for your efforts in ensuring athletes a level playing field where they can 'play true' and for protecting their health and integrity.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the Republic of Korea will continue our support in raising anti-doping awareness among medical officials and protecting athletes through safe prescription and treatment.

I hope you will have the chance to experience the rich Korean culture and traditions during your visit and make lasting memories in the international gateway city of Incheon.

I look forward to greeting you at the TUE Symposium in May.

Thank you.

Dr. Alan Vernec, WADA Chief Medical Officer

On behalf of the World Anti-Doping Agency, I am delighted to invite you to the fifth WADA International Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Symposium, which will be held in Incheon, South Korea, from 31 May-2 June, 2023.

For the first time, the TUE Symposium will be held in Asia, thanks to Dr. Young-Hee Lee and our gracious hosts at the Korea Anti-Doping Agency (KADA). Since the fourth edition of this important event was in Helsinki, Finland, in 2017, there have been many changes to the ISTUE that will be covered during the Symposium. The meeting will be another great opportunity to listen to one another, strengthen existing connections, make new ones and reflect on our role as leaders of the anti-doping movement.

TUEs are a critical part of the anti-doping program, allowing athletes with medical conditions to be able to compete in high-level sport. Your active participation and the critical arguments and discussions that take place at these symposia are invaluable as we continue to improve the system and ensure global harmonization despite regional diversities.

We will explore complex TUE situations via interactive case studies with input from both medical specialists and legal experts.  Indeed, for the first time, we have applied for accreditation for physicians interested in earning continual medical education (CME) credits. For those who have been to our previous symposia, you will be aware that these have been interactive and enjoyable events with great camaraderie and a strong collaborative ethos. We will take this up a notch in Korea with a friendly ‘WADA World Cup’ competition featuring a range of fun games, both academic and less so. 

This year, we will have a session called ‘Pearls from Around the World’ so please contact us if you have short, punchy stories or interesting case studies to share. And of course, it won’t be all hard work – a sport/social program is also being planned to allow for successful networking during down times. And there will be plenty of information available for those wishing to extend their stay and sample some of the delights that the wonderful country of South Korea has to offer.  

I look forward to seeing you in May.

Dr. Alan Vernec, WADA Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Young-Hee Lee, President of KADA

On behalf of the Korea Anti-Doping Agency, I am pleased to welcome all the anti-doping stakeholders to the WADA TUE symposium, this signature event of the year, in Incheon, Republic of Korea on May 31 – June 2, 2023.

Building on the success of previous Symposiums, the theme for 2023 is Balancing Medical Care with Fair Play, and I look forward to exchanging the latest experiences and knowledge from top medical professionals, researchers, administration officers, and athletes. We are indeed in a time of significant progress in aligning the unique requirement of Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), so come and enjoy the WADA TUE Symposium in Incheon, Korea.

The program has already been set up to be superb and intensive, and the networking opportunities will be outstanding. The historic and cutting-edge city of Incheon will add to the pleasure of the Symposium and provide beautiful memories beyond the medical issues.

I look forward to informative sessions and productive meetings with great speakers and participants from different countries worldwide and sharing new and exciting issues in TUE.

See you soon in Incheon, Korea.

Program

Consult the Program of the 2023 TUE Symposium here:

TUE Symposium Program

About the Symposium

This is WADA’s fifth TUE Symposium, which will graciously be co-hosted by the Korea Anti-Doping Agency (KADA). The Symposium will convene Committee members and other physicians from Anti-Doping organisations and those that manage TUEs from National Anti-Doping Organizations, International Federations, Major Event Organizations and other international sports organizations from around the globe to discuss medical conditions and the TUE process.

The primary objective of the TUE Symposium is to harmonize the approach to TUEs, which ensures that athletes with legitimate medical conditions may participate in sport despite their need for a medication or treatment that may otherwise be prohibited. The Symposium promises to be engaging with interactive discussions on medical cases, medico-legal issues, and retroactive TUEs. Participants will also discuss challenges regarding global harmonization of practices, with the goal of ensuring that fairness is maintained; and, that athletes are afforded similar opportunities, regardless of their sport, geographical location or specific medical issues. 

WADA will once again welcome sport physicians from around the world, to discuss the latest developments in TUE management. The symposium will explore elements of the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code and International Standard on Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE).

To maximize stakeholder interaction, booths will be set up so that participants can chat with WADA Medical staff and associated experts about specific medical conditions and the TUE process. Coffee and lunch breaks will be centred around networking opportunities, to further allow r personal exchanges and bilateral discussions amongst participants.

Expected Educational Outcomes

Physicians who will attend the 2023 TUE Symposium will learn:

• Learn the general principals of TUEs and how it is applied in sports
• Review the data of TUEs from around the world and the impact of the diagnosis and substances involved
• Learn about WADA’s Prohibited List, the science behind it, and how it applies to athletes and sports globally
• Know the benefits and risks of supplement use in athletes
• Understand the significance of the diverse prescribing practices and cultural effects that impact the practice of medicine and treatment of athletes
• Appreciate the complexities of the medico-legal impact of TUEs, the consequences of doping and the sanctions involved
• Demonstrate proficiency in conducting expert medical review of TUE of substances banned in sport by elite level athletes.
• Gain knowledge on how to assess and use the evidence-based, harmonized guidelines on the granting of TUEs; use consistent criteria based on medical best practices that is invaluable in evaluating TUEs
• Explore challenging medical cases in the athlete population such as adult-onset ADHD, mild traumatic brain injury, isolated growth hormone deficiency, asthma, hypogonadism, musculoskeletal issues and infertility.
• Learn from the experts one on one at the interactive, small group “Ask the Expert” sessions for different medical conditions acquire knowledge of the new International Standards of TUEs
• Navigate the complex medical issues that para-athletes face
• Discuss data protection, privacy and medical confidentiality issues when managing athlete’s medical information

CME Accreditation

The “Therapeutic Use Exemptions 2023 Symposium”, abbreviated as "TUE 2023 Symposium", Incheon, South Korea, 31/05/2023-02/06/2023 has been accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) with 12 European CME credits (ECMEC®s). Each medical specialist should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

Through an agreement between the Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes and the American Medical Association, physicians may convert EACCME® credits to an equivalent number of AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Information on the process to convert EACCME® credit to AMA credit can be found at www.ama-assn.org/education/earn-credit-participation-international-activities.

Live educational activities, occurring outside of Canada, recognised by the UEMS-EACCME® for ECMEC®s are deemed to be Accredited Group Learning Activities (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Scientific Program Committee 

The program of the 2023 TUE Symposium was developed by the members of the Scientific Committee, as per the following list:

Dr. Susan WHITE (Chair)
Position: Sports and Exercise Physician
Organization: Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee (ASDMAC)

Conflict of Interest disclosure form

Dr. Katharina GRIMM
Position: Group Leader Medical Office
Organization: Fédération international de Football Association (FIFA) 

Conflict of Interest disclosure form

Dr. Simon KEMP
Position: Sports Physician (Sports and Exercise Medicine)
Organization: Parkside Hospital

Conflict of Interest disclosure form

Prof. Young-Hee LEE
Position: Professor
Organization: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine

Conflict of Interest disclosure form

Dr. Katja MJØSUND
Position: Specialist in Sports and Exercise Medicine
Organization: Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports & Exercise Medicine, University of Turku

Conflict of Interest disclosure form

Dr. Ola RØNSEN
Position: Chief Medical Officer 
Organization: Norwegian Ski Federation

Conflict of Interest disclosure form

Dr. Sebastian THORMANN
Position: Private Practice, Orthopedic Surgery & Traumatology

Conflict of Interest disclosure form

Dr. Alan VERNEC
Position: Chief Medical Officer
Organization: World Anti-Doping Agency

Conflict of Interest disclosure form

The 2023 TUE Symposium and its scientific program was supported by the following members of the WADA staff: 

• Ms. Katia ALLOUN, Medical Manager
• Ms. Yoko DOZONO, Medical Manager 
• Mr. David HEALY, Medical Manager
• Ms. Sylvie GOULET de NESVIGINSKY, TUE Support Manager
• Ms. Kimberley CHINNARASSEN, Assistant 

Biographies

Biographies of session presenters and moderators will be available on the 2023 TUE Symposium mobile app. 

Networking / Delegate App

Quick Dives: Pearls from around the world

We invite stakeholders to contact WADA Medical at medical@wada-ama.org to submit any interesting short cases for a session named “Quick Dives: Pearls from around the world.” Those who submit cases may in turn be selected to present their case and convey key takeaways to their fellow attendees.

Kindly submit your cases by Friday, 21 April 2023.

Registration

Terms & Conditions

Applications for registration must be completed online.

Organization wishing to send a TUE manager to the TUE Symposium must also register a physician to the Symposium. If you wish to register more than two (2) participants from your organization, kindly contact us at medical@wada-ama.org.

Please note that an electronic photo in .jpeg format (max 1MB) is required for registration. Photos are requested for security reasons and also to facilitate identification of participants by other attendees through the Delegate App, therefore stimulating networking before and during the event. The photos will be printed on the accreditation of each participant physically present at the TUE Symposium venue and displayed on the virtual platform for remote participants. 

CME Accreditation 

The “Therapeutic Use Exemptions 2023 Symposium”, abbreviated as "TUE 2023 Symposium", Incheon, South Korea, 31/05/2023-02/06/2023 has been accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) with 12 European CME credits (ECMEC®s). Each medical specialist should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

Through an agreement between the Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes and the American Medical Association, physicians may convert EACCME® credits to an equivalent number of AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Information on the process to convert EACCME® credit to AMA credit can be found at www.ama-assn.org/education/earn-credit-participation-international-activities.

Live educational activities, occurring outside of Canada, recognised by the UEMS-EACCME® for ECMEC®s are deemed to be Accredited Group Learning Activities (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Fees/Costs

Registration to the 2023 TUE Symposium is free of charge, thanks to the generous support of the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Korea Anti-Doping Agency. 

Participants must cover their own travel, ground transfers, hotel accommodation and miscellaneous expenses. Participants must also subscribe to travel insurance to cover any medical expenses. 

Registration Deadline

The registration deadline is 19 May 2023. 

Please note that no registrations will be accepted after that date.

For security and logistical reasons, individuals who have not registered online and who have not received an electronic confirmation of their registration will not be granted access to the TUE Symposium. 

Cancellation Policy

Registration cancellation should be made in writing to wada-ama@kuonitumlare.com.

No-show

WADA reserves the right to refuse admission to future Symposia to persons who register for the 2023 TUE Symposium but do not show up. Therefore, should you plans change prior to the Symposium, please advise us in writing as soon as possible.

Accommodation

Hotel list for the 2023 WADA TUE Symposium

Tours

Our Korean hosts along with the Incheon Tourism Organization have put together a few options for touristic activities and recommend the following tours.

A full list of touristic activities that can be done in Incheon is available to download here.

For those participants who will depart on 3 June or later, our hosts have arranged for the following tours to be organised on the evening of Friday, 2 June:

• Option 1 (free): Tri Bowl Art Museum and Caisson 24 - CANCELLED -
• Option 2 (20€): Triple Street (mall) and Moon Boat
• Option 3 (50€): Wangsan Marina
• Option 4 (free): Incheon traditional office and school visit guided by a culture commentator

Registration for these tours is now open. Please look for the communication from our Symposium secretariat (wada-ama@kuonitumlare.com) that was sent out on 25 April.

Useful Information

Coffee and lunch breaks will provide networking opportunities, enabling social exchanges and bilateral discussions amongst participants.

*Please note that the Organisers and Hosts will have a photographer on site.

Languages

All sessions will be conducted in English.

Accreditation badge

All participants will receive their accreditation badge upon their arrival at the Symposium venue. The photo submitted during the online registration will be printed on the accreditation badge for security purposes and to facilitate networking opportunities. Kindly note that the accreditation badge is not proof of CME accreditation; further details on CME accreditation can be found under the program section.

All information is available to registered participants through the mobile app. No printed documents (such as program or participant list) will be provided at the event.

Social Functions

Prior to the first day of the TUE Symposium, on 31 May 2023, a welcome cocktail reception will be held at the Symposium venue for all registered participants. As always, this is a great networking opportunity.

At the end of the first day of the TUE Symposium, on 1 June 2023, our Korean hosts invite you to join them for a dinner full of wonders at Gyeong Won Jae . Further details will be sent out to all registered participants.

Visa

Nationals from some countries may require a visa to enter South Korea. It is the participant’s responsibility to obtain their visa. For further information, please consult the official website of the Korea Visa Portal.

COVID-19 Requirements

Information will be provided shortly.

Venue and Transportation

Venue

WADA’s 2023 TUE Symposium will be held at Songdo Convensia Convention Center. Located in Incheon, this smart convention center is the optimal venue, with its unique sensory-inducing design, eco-friendly facilities and convenient location.

Songdo Convensia Convention Center                    
123 Central Street
Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21998
Korea
+82-(0)32-210-1114

Transportation

Participants arriving by air are encouraged to fly to Incheon Airport and take the subway to reach the Songdo Convensia Convention Center.

Further information is available here.

Contact Details

Registration & Housing Management

Kuoni Congress
Email: wada-ama@kuonitumlare.com

Symposium Management

WADA
Email: medical@wada-ama.org